EPA DEMANDS COMPENSATION FOR GREEN ISLAND OIL SPILL|搶救綠島海域 今潛水清汙擬跨國索賠

First today...Cleanup continues for an oil spill off the northern coast of Ludao, or Green Island, from an unknown vessel. It is estimated that it will take 3 to 4 days to remove the onshore oil, and seven to complete the cleanup. The Environmental Protection Administration has identified a vessel as the suspected origin of the spill, and will demand compensation through international channels. The newest underwater footage shows numerous black oil slicks on the sea floor off Green Island. Eight kilometers of coastline on the north of the Island was polluted by a heavy oil leak from an unknown vessel on the 10th. The Environmental Protection Administration has identified a vessel as the suspected origin of the spill, and will demand compensation through international channels. ==CHAN SHUN-KUEI EPA Dep. Minister== We will send an official notice through our Ministry of Foreign Affairs offices to the shipping company, asking for a full account of the facts. If there is no reply from the company, we will use our own analysis of the evidence to make a determination. If necessary, we will retain an attorney to file an international lawsuit for compensation. Though the EPA is targeting a vessel, company, and insurer for compensation, it says it cannot yet disclose the name of the shipping company. This is the first time the sea floor near Green Island has been polluted by oil, and cleanup is difficult. 727 kilograms of polluted waste has been extracted as of the 12th. ==CHAN SHUN-KUEI Dep. Minister, EPA== The onshore spill will need three or four days just to remove all of the oil, but the cleaning with high-pressure jets of water will need seven days. Starting tomorrow divers will start with underwater cleanup. This is the worst ecological disaster in 50 years faced by Green Island, a major tourist destination. The current Marine Pollution Control Act allows fines of only NT$300,000 to NT$1.5 million per day. The EPA is seeking amendments to the law to make the punishment more severe. The current vessel suspected for the leak will make its next port of call on the 15th. The EPA says it may seek a provisional seizure of the ship's assets when the ship comes to shore. TRANSLATED BY：JOHN CHEN 前天綠島北側海域，遭到不明船隻排放重油污染，岸上除汙預計需要3到4天，清洗至少還要七天，由於海底遭到污染，明天將派員潛水清汙，環保署目前也鎖定一艘嫌疑船，將跨國索賠。 從最新的潛水畫面來看(畫面提供 飛魚潛水)，綠島海底不時可以看到一陀一陀黑色的汙染物。綠島北側將近十公里的海岸線，10號遭到不明大型船隻排放重油，長達八公里的海岸和海底遭到污染，環保署目前已經鎖定一艘嫌疑船，將跨國索賠。 ==環保署副署長 詹順貴== 我們會透過外交部的外館 去送把這個送達一個公文 給這個船公司 請他釐清相關的事實 那如果船東不回覆的話 我們還是會依照這樣的分析 直接依照證據來判讀 必要的時候當然會委託律師 來跨國打這個(官司) 這時候來索賠 環保署目前已經掌握嫌疑船、船公司、船舶責任保險公司，近期將約談在台灣的代理人，目前不方便公告船公司名稱，這不只是綠島第一次油污染，也是第一次重油污染沉到海底，清理不易，到12號周日為止，已經清出727公斤的含油垃圾。 ==環保署副署長 詹順貴== 岸上的大概目前 那個單純除污的部份 要三 四天但是經過高壓沖洗 可能還需要七天 明天開始才會做 下去潛水(清理) 觀光重鎮的綠島，遭逢50年來最大的生態浩劫，依照目前海洋汙染防治法，只能罰款30萬到150萬元，得以按日連續罰，未來環保署將大幅修法，提高罰則與追討不當利得，目前鎖定的這艘嫌疑船，預計在15號靠港，環保署強調，如果有進一步掌握，不排除在下一個停靠港時進行假扣押。 記者 林欣儀 林國煌 台北報導